 Q1: How long have you been at King County and what was your first role?
I have been with King County for 10 years and I started out as a STT Administrative Specialist in Public Health for the Seattle HIV/AIDS Planning Council.
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Q2: What do you like most about your job?
I get to come to work and help make the world a better place every day. “Professional Idealist” is what I had listed as my objective on my resume for many years and I can honestly say that I have my dream job. When an employee tells me their personal connections or how they made a new one by attending a nonprofit expo it absolutely fills my heart with joy. One example, an employee had lost their beloved dog earlier in the year and they were ready to add to their family again. They called me to see if I could point them in the right direction. We have a whole section dedicated to animals and so many of them are local, I was able to give her a list of local pet adoption organizations to research and decide which one was right for them. They ended up adopting a dog from Regional Animal Services of King County and then would send me pictures through the year of their new family. One of my dogs also came from RASKC so it was just awesome to follow their story. I live for these moments!
Q3: What is the Employee Giving Program?
The EGP is the workplace giving program for King County employees. We provide a cost-effective, efficient way for employees to support the causes they are personally passionate about with the added benefits of reducing the impact on the workplace and maximizing impact to the community!
Q4: How successful has the EGP been over the last 25 years?
The King County Employee Giving Program is the third-largest public sector employee giving program in the state. Just last year alone, King County employees donated nearly $1.6 million, and over the last 25 years more than $20 million! We started out with around 10 organizations, and have grown to more than 900 this year.
Q5: How can employees get involved in the Annual Giving Drive?
There are several ways to get involved. Employees can volunteer as a worksite Ambassador or bring in a nonprofit speaker. Sponsoring a nonprofit speaker is an easy and very effective way to introduce an organization to King County employees. Then of course employees can get involved by pledging; it is super easy to do right in PeopleSoft under MyGiving or you can use a paper form. Two of the most popular benefits are being able to give anonymously and doing all of your giving for the year in one place.
King County Parks is partnering with the Seattle REI flagship store for an in-store featured display throughout the month of September, highlighting weekly themes of the fall outdoor season: hiking, trail running, mountain biking and our volunteer program.
Another point of engagement includes outreach inside the store each weekend where visitors can talk directly with a representative and pick up a variety of backcountry trail maps or learn more about the King County Parks Foundation.
Wrapping up the month-long promotion and in celebration of National Public Lands Day, King County Parks and REI are hosting a volunteer work-party on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Three Forks Natural Area in North Bend. You can join in the action by helping to remove invasive weeds to prepare this newly acquired property for late fall planting of native shrubs and trees. All tools are provided, along with gloves and fresh air.
To sign up, contact Laurie Clinton, Volunteer Program Manager, at 206-296-4452 or laurie.clinton@kingcounty.gov.
SharePoint is King County’s enterprise information platform of choice, and we’re getting ready to upgrade to SharePoint 2013, beginning in October of this year.
SharePoint 2013 offers new functionality and features that will make it easier for you to:
- Share:
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Ideas with new social features
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Content with a new and simplified user experience
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At your desk or from your mobile device
- Organize: Keep teams in sync, projects on track, and manage your personal to-do list
- Discover: Experts that can answer questions, relevant search results, and connections across the County
- Succeed: Eliminate document proliferation, decrease dependence on email and file servers, and get the right tools.
Upgrading to SharePoint 2013 will give us access to more features and provide greater integration across our enterprise tools, allowing us to serve our customers better, both internally and externally. Get ready to share more, learn more and do more with SharePoint 2013.
Do you work with or around chemicals? Many of us do, and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recently modified its Hazard Communication Standard to adopt the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals – often referred to as the GHS.
There is a requirement that employees be trained on the safety data sheet (SDS) format and new label elements. Though the OSHA standard requires that the training be completed by December 1, 2013, "state plan states" (such as Washington), have been allowed an additional six months to comply with the regulations; Washington State employers have until June 1, 2014 to complete the required training.
Human Resources Division’s Safety and Claims Management is assembling a training course which will cover the new label elements and safety data sheet format. We anticipate we’ll begin offering open-enrollment classes in November 2013. Alternately, if you have enough employees to form a class, we would be glad to arrange to conduct the training at your location. To make arrangements, please contact Tammy Harris at tammy.harris@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-3371.
Executive Constantine,
I just wanted to let you know that the staff of the King County Community Development Program [Eric Jensen, Dave Mecklenburg and Randy Poplock], led by Kathy Tremper have done a great job of outreach to communities and managing the Community Development Block Grant process. They have gone out of their way to make the application process understandable, and they do a great job of supporting and keeping applicants and grantees on track. Given the complexity of federal funding, this is not an easy task. I just wanted to let you know that we appreciate their hard work.
Erika Shook, AICP, Community Development Director, City of Enumclaw
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Why is Executive Constantine making full enrollment in healthcare such a priority for King County? Take a look at these two maps side-by-side.
The maps illustrate the potential impact health reform can have on our communities. When you compare King County to other big cities and counties in the U.S., we do pretty well when it comes to access to health insurance. But when you break it down to look at it city-by-city, you’ll see a very different picture.
 On the left – the map with a lot of orange and red – shows where people in King County currently lack insurance. It’s heavily concentrated in south Seattle and south King County. The map on the right – the one without any red or orange – shows how access to health insurance will change under health reform.
King County departments and agencies are working to achieve full enrollment by:
- Providing enrollment assistance to County residents, especially those who need extra help understanding the process
- Leveraging partnerships to maximize our reach in the community
- Increasing awareness of new coverage options among businesses and the general public.
Learn more at www.kingcounty.gov/coverage.
When we began asking customers what they thought of the King County Internet site late last year, the feedback was less than impressive:
- “The King County website has a lot of information and almost feels really heavy with that information. It is so dense…”
- “I don’t even know where we are right now or how I got there.”
- “There’s too many link options. There’s no direct way to access information.”
- “I am a little frustrated because there are so many things on the screen.”
Users described the site as having an outdated and bureaucratic feel, with difficulties navigating to the right content. Also, with 30 percent of traffic coming from mobile devices, the site was not yet mobile-friendly to provide easy access on-the-go.
So a cross-agency team set about designing a website that quickly and easily connects customers and employees to the information they’re looking for.
Working with a local consulting company, we used the feedback to build a website based on the tasks that customers and employees come to the site to complete. The new site had to be intuitive to users and easy to navigate – which became the “How do I” structure.
The “How do I” menu features the top tasks that users come to the site for – things like “apply for a business license,” “locate public health clinics,” and “file Superior Court documents.” The team analyzed a number of data sources to understand website users and their top tasks. The top tasks were categorized by department, associated with strategic plan goals, ranked in priority, and then the team met with departments and agencies to get insights on top content, tasks and labels.
The result is a new kingcounty.gov that:
- Is easier to navigate
- Offers direct access to King County’s online services
- Features clear and updated content
- Is based on real users’ feedback
- Is mobile responsive (iPhone, tablet etc.)
- Focuses on accessibility and meeting Section 508 guidelines
- Provides better site search
- Offers easy access to email and text alerts.
“The existing King County website served its purpose for many years, but as services have become more readily available we needed a better way to get the information out there,” said Bill Kehoe, King County Chief Information Officer. “The redesigned website will allow users to interact in new ways and quickly get the services they need, on any device.”
The launch of the new site will be staggered, with the homepage and top level pages changing to the new design on the launch date and all pages receiving a new header and footer design. But the content of department pages will not be altered until departments are ready to migrate to the new structure, and visitors will still be able to find the same content on department sites as they normally would.
The new kingcounty.gov will launch in Fall 2013. Welcome home.
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Five new courtrooms and an expanded court clerk's office opened at the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent this week, allowing King County District Court to consolidate its services in Kent.
"We've improved access to justice for our residents by co-locating our operation with other agencies at the Maleng Regional Justice Center," said District Court Presiding Judge Corinna Harn. "Along with District Court, residents will be able to access services from Superior Court, the King County Prosecutor, and the public defender."
District Court will use the new space at the MRJC to address criminal and civil matters filed with the court, including misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor criminal cases, anti-harassment orders, domestic violence protection orders, name changes, felony and misdemeanor preliminary hearings, and search warrants.
 "I'm pleased to see the District Court's long-term vision finally realized," said King County Executive Dow Constantine. "This all started with the sale of the Aukeen Courthouse to the City of Kent a couple of years ago. That allowed Kent to avoid a costly and unnecessary construction project, and allowed King County to better serve our customers by consolidating several vital justice-related services in a single location."
To accommodate the District Court move to Kent, the King County Sheriff's Office moved its Criminal Investigation Division to downtown Seattle. The Justice Center will continue to house the King County Law Library, Superior Court's Jon and Bobbe Bridge Child Care Center, a King County Community Service Center, family law facilitators, and Housing and Justice Project clinics.
As part of the plan to open the new courtrooms at the MRJC, the temporary King County District Court location in Renton closed on Sept. 6. Cases currently assigned to that location will move to the Burien Courthouse, located at 601 SW 149th St.
The 2013 King County Employee Annual Giving Drive is going to be bigger and better than ever, and you can attend one of five free events to learn more about the organizations and programs that your dollars help support.
Five Nonprofit Expos will be held at convenient locations around King County over the first three weeks of the Giving Drive. More than 140 nonprofit organizations will be in attendance and hundreds more will be represented by federation partners, so stop by to talk to representatives of your favorite nonprofit. Find out which nonprofits will be at which Expo here.
And while you’re there, fill out the Nonprofit Expo passport by visiting different organizations and be entered into a drawing for great prizes. Just place your passport in the drawing box on your way out. You will earn an entry for each Nonprofit Expo organization you visit. Can't make it? Beginning Sept. 18, you can fill out the online passport by visiting nonprofits websites, and email it to the Employee Giving Program Administrator junelle.kroontje@kingcounty.gov before midnight on Oct. 10, 2013. Drawing will be held on Oct. 11 and winners will be notified by phone or email.
 Metro Transit Vehicle Maintenance (VM) recently named Mechanic Gene Yamamoto as its 2013 Employee of the Year at a ceremony at Ryerson Base attended by Yamamoto’s friends, family members, co-workers, and managers.
Transportation Director Harold Taniguchi presented a plaque, VM Manager Randy Winders bestowed a certificate for a paid day off, and VM Assistant Manager John Alley supplied the coveted parking sign that will designate Yamamoto’s personal parking spot for the next year.
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Speakers praised Yamamoto’s 22-year record, which includes excellent service to Metro and VM customers as well as perfect attendance. They cited his work ethic, his sense of humor, and his eagerness to take on new challenges, with one of them calling him “an all-around super employee.”
If you want to be a change leader at King County, you’re invited to attend the “Change Management for Leaders” workshop, which is open to all King County leaders and aspiring-leaders.
The workshop addresses critical issues related to leading change, including how to generate positive morale, how to ensure higher productivity levels, and how to decrease the likelihood of sabotage. Self-assessment of individual change styles and leadership change skills allows participants to evaluate their own styles within the context of the organization, and allows participants to develop personal strategies for coping with and leading change. Please get manager approval before signing up. Learn more.
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Application deadline: Friday 09/20/13 4:30 p.m.
Salary: $30.97 - $39.41 Hourly / $64,410.48 - $81,974.88 Annually
Department: King County District Court
The Budget Analyst for King County District Court is responsible for a wide range of analytical, financial and technical duties involved in the researching, planning, evaluation, preparation, presentation and monitoring of operating and capital budgets and programs. The successful candidate will report directly to the Budget Director, who is responsible for all financial aspects of the Court's $30 million annual budget including accounts payable, accounts receivable, trust accounts, collection and time payment services, payroll, contracts, Inter-local Agreements and audits. Learn more about this position or view all available jobs.
Click here to submit an item to Employee News. For questions or suggestions, please contact Jason Argo.
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King County Metro Transit has launched the pedestrian Safety Season – a focused effort to reduce the number of pedestrian traffic injuries that happen in our communities.
“Our transit operators are always on the lookout for pedestrians, especially as darker, rainy days set in – but people can do their part too by being safe, being seen, and being smart,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine.
Statewide, there are hundreds of pedestrian injury collisions each year. In King County, based on preliminary information still being collected and tallied, at least 220 pedestrian injuries from 210 collisions were reported in the first three months of this year, according to the state Traffic Safety Commission.
Pedestrians can do several things to help keep themselves safe, said bus operator Theresa Tobin, a member of Metro’s safety and security team who recently earned her 15-year safe driving award. She’s seen bad pedestrian habits that can turn deadly.
“I’m always on the lookout for you, but please, look up from your phone and be aware of traffic when crossing the street,” Tobin said. “And please, if you are wearing dark clothes on a rainy morning – work to see and be seen. When waiting for the bus, please take a step back. We want everyone to be safely away from the edge of traffic.”
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